it looks like hsus has a new trick using the fiscal trouble to get states to cut programs geared for hunting and fishing. they used this to get the gov. here in n.y. to shut down the state game farm used to raise pheasants. if you want to check out the story for your self go to www.nyoutdoornews.com

I checked it out and you are right we are all going to have to fight together in the future if hunting is going to exist, this type of thing is just the start!!
Guns are going to be a big issue in the months to come.

an update on this story the sportsmen allince took the gov. to court saying the money used to run the game farm comes form taxes raised form the sell of hunting items and hunting tags and not the general fund and any money safed form the closure of the game farm could not be used by the state for other uses the judge hearing the case agreed with the sportsmen and said the state can,t close the game farm i think this so we can fight these kind of attacks by the antis

KUDOS to the judge who heard this case,it seems some judges still have blood in their veins.
Seems like it never stops here in Pa. recently we had a problem with bicycle riders and horseback
riders wanting to take over our gamelands.
The gamelands are also purchased and maintained with sales of licenses and tags etc.
The argument was why should these groups be useing these areas and not be paying their share?
Also the sportsman were upset about a group of horsemen useing these areas during the hunting season.
The Game Commission sited that if these factions wanted to use these areas they should pay a permit.
They also stated that horses were doing a lot of damage to the roads.
With that said the screaming started from horse people to anybody who owns a bicycle!
At present certain areas are open to these people and may be used in the off season.
It goes on and on, Pa. has a huge problem selling licenses due to the depleation of the deer heard and
pheasent population almost non existent.
What next, ammunition maybe? the state is trying to get a 5 cent tax on each shell purchased?

Several years ago the horseback riding crowd started complaining to the Wildlife Commission here in N.C. that they should also be allowed to ride on gamelands. I went to the nearest hearing in Raleigh and some of the equine community present argued that there was not enough open space for them to ride and since gamelands are only used part of the year, they should be open to the public...afterall, they were funded by public money. They also claimed that horses did not cause erosion(?!) and in the next breath they said that all the trails open to horses in the State Parks around Raleigh were too rocky or slippery.

I answered the back that if horses did not cause erosion, then show me a pasture gate that had grass growing under it. Plus the only reason the State Park trails were so bad is because they were ERODED BY HORSES! Most riders only want to ride, they don't want to work to maintain trails. I know this because my wife rides her horse 5 days a week. Any time she needs work done on the trails, she tries to recruit my @$$ to help ( I have a lot of tools & I cut trees and brush a couple weekends a month working at the hunting lease). After making the point that those lands were paid for by public money that was collected off the back of the sale of hunting & fishing gear & license taxes, I told them that they should start pooling their money to buy some equestrian lands...they could even forbid hunting there.

The Wildlife Commission saw it the same way and closed gamelands to horse traffic. As it was, there was no such rule in place and many riders already had trails on gamelands they had been riding for years. The Wildlife folks didn't want the wear & tear, nor did they want riders not following the rules and riding during hunting season (which you know they would). So, the whole thing kind of blew up in their faces. If they just kept quiet, they may have gotten away with riding on gamelands (like was already going on) a while longer. Instead they are now prohibited.

I live in South Western Pa. There are alot of State game lands and State forest properties in my area. One such area is Quebec Run Wild area. It's around 6 thousand acres of state land that has various trails maintained by the state. I have walked theses trails while hunting and a good portion of them would be really hard for people to ride a bike on so we don't have to many bike riders hitting those trails. All the signs around this wild area state is that no MOTORIZED vehciles are allowed on the land. There is a gated road that runs through the middle of the Wild area that is used only by the DCNR and Other state agent personal. I had not thought about the fact that most of the funding for the upkeep of areas such as this comes from hunters. Bad part is if you think about it. Some of the same people who use these areas for other means like hikeinng, bikeing, or horseback riding are the same people who are against us. The hunters. Yet alot of the things they enjoy doing out in nature is paid for by the same people who they claim to be heartless and crual because we enjoy hunting. Ironic if you ask me. I have already heard that not only is there supposed to be a tax on ammo but that the assult weapon ban will go back into effect. Funny. I have not noticed a sudden rise in crimes committed with assult weapons! I realize that assult weapons are not what is used for hunting but Some or most of use also enjoy target shooting in the off season. Everytime bans like this are won it is one step closer to the Gov. taking our right to own guns or even hunt away from us. I had also heard a few times about a gun tax for every gun you own. Which if that is done some people would have to get ride of some of thier guns to be able to afford them. But battles and worries like these have been around for many years. We just need to remain vigalenteIn standing up for our rights and our hunting heritage. Support of groups whose aim is to help preserve those rights. Cause if we get lazy and think "It will never happen" We may someday be in these forus talking about the "Good ole' days" When a person could hunt.

i think the most important thing we need to do is show the non hunting commumity how much work sportmens groups like nwtf ducks unlimited pheasant forever,and many more do to save wild places and clean wet lands how the money spent on hunting tags and sporting gear goes to paying for the upkeep of state park and wildlife restoration we need to talk to our non hunting friends about what hunting means to us and what we do tohelp save our wild places then we need to ask what have the anti hunting groups done to help pther then spend others people money on frivis lawsuits trying to force their ideas on everyone .

BRAVO! right on the money Grizzly! Sportsman do more for the enviroment and the PROTECTION of wildlife then any other group. But nobody seems to notice that! Yes. We hunt and harvest wild game. But......We also use resposibility in those harvests. As hunters we understand better then anyone the importance of preserving nature and what it means to help maintain healthy habitat for wild game. Otherwise there would be no game for us to enjoy hunting. The biggest differance between us and the anti hunters out there, besides the obvious, is that we actually DO what is needed to help preserve nature. Not just run around and complain to the courts. Huh! Hunters are the the biggest conservationists there is! Imagine that!